Central processing units and similar integrated circuits communicate with other components of a computer system over a printed circuit board that is typically referred to as a mainboard or motherboard. Central processing units and similar processors are often coupled to the mainboard through a socket. The socket serves as an interface for the mainboard and central processing units. The socket aligns the interconnects of the central processing unit and the mainboard. The socket is coupled with a socket loading mechanism that electrically connects the central processing unit to the mainboard.
Typically, each socket has a loading mechanism designed especially for it, as variances in size, positioning, loading force and so forth require such specialized loading mechanisms. Furthermore, typical loading mechanisms can have a number of different parts, which raises the cost of developing and manufacturing these mechanisms, as well as attendant complexity during high volume manufacturing of computer systems including such sockets.